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this climate, and could be put into the instructions for no other reason that I could conceive, but to throw insuperable difficulties in my way, as they were not at all material to the determination of the matter in question. However the Commissioners at length gave up this point, on my opinion of the impracticability being confirmed by that of an Officer of the Navy distinguished for his abilities and skill in matters of Astronomy;[1] To take away
- ↑ This was Captain (afterwards Admiral) Campbell. As often as disputes occurred between the younger Harrison and the University Gentlemen, on points connected with the observations to be taken, this Officer was called in, and his decision was always unfortunate for the Professors of abstract sciences, as our Candidate called them: taking the liberty to observe that, as such, they were not proper judges of the question before them.—As Captain Campbell makes his appearance without delay on these occasions, he may be concluded to have been in waiting by desire of the Admirals, who were unequal to contending with the palaver of their learned colleagues: but they could not have much inducement to send their sons to either of our staple emporiums of sciences, when they saw that two plain men, like John Harrison and his Son, knew more to the purpose than Masters and Doctors of such sounding designations; but—waiving this: the marvellous ignorance which these graduates showed of the commonest sea affairs, connected with the examination of the Timekeeper was well adapted to promote mirth among sailors of every grade. August 9th, 1763. 'Dr. Shepherd and Dr. Hornsby then denied that Mr. Harrison should take his departure from Greenwich, and not from Portsmouth. William Harrison answered, he had no objection to this; if they would please to allow for the length of tine in going round, for that was
